Gang flagged crime (1)

Unmesh Desai: How many gang-flagged crimes were committed in London in each of the following years: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019?

The Mayor: Please see my answer to Mayor's Question 2019/20870.

Guidance for schools on adapting to climate change (3)

Leonie Cooper: Have you considered this as an opportunity to encourage schools to engage their pupils in learning about the climate emergency and contributing their ideas to resilience plans in an age appropriate format?

The Mayor: The objective of this project is to provide guidance and actions for schools on how to prepare for and respond to extreme weather events such as flooding, higher temperatures and water scarcity.
The audience for these materials is teachers, pupils, facilities managers, governors and those responsible for school buildings and investments. The guidance will be designed to be accessible to all of these audiences including children and will consider learning materials for teachers to use in their lessons, such as lesson plans available in the London Curriculum.

Safer Streets programme

Unmesh Desai: Will you be applying to the £25m Safer Streets fund announced by the Government in October 2019? If so, which areas of London will you seek funding for, and when do you expect to receive notification of whether London has been successful?

The Mayor: I will be working with local authorities and the Met to identify where resources could be best targeted to reduce acquisitive crime in the capital. Further details of the fund, including timelines, will be announced at a Home Office event in late January 2020 where MOPAC will be represented. Following this announcement, formal preparatory work will begin. My Deputy Mayor has already written to the Policing Minister and made it clear that current funding allocation in inadequate and that London is disproportionality affected by acquisitive crime, funding should be allocated on the basis of need which we are lobbying the government for.

August energy blackouts (3)

Andrew Dismore: What involvement did GLA family organisations have in Ofgem’s report into the energy blackouts of August 2019?

The Mayor: Ofgem’s report into the energy blackouts in August 2019 had three primary aims: establish the circumstance and cause of the event; establish the lessons to improve the resilience of the energy network: and assess whether the key licensed parties complied with their license conditions.
As such Ofgem’s work was focussed on the Electricity System Operator and the Distribution Network Operators, as opposed to end users, and therefore members of the GLA family were not engaged with the report.
The London Resilience Group willhoweverreview the report as part of their work to ensure that any lessons relevant for London’s partner agencies will be incorporated into the ongoing development of London’s plans for events like these, and that we provide Londoners with the best possible response in future.

Fatigue Audit IA 17780

Keith Prince: When will you respond to Question 2019/19756?

The Mayor: My response to Mayor’s Question 2019/19756 was published on Monday 20th January.

First Group TOL’s public statements about Fatigue Management not being a factor in the Croydon Tram Crash

Keith Prince: When will you respond to Question 2019/19758?

The Mayor: My response to Mayor’s Question 2019/19758 was published on Monday 20th January.

PM2.5 link to hospital admissions

Onkar Sahota: New research suggests that high levels of PM2.5, even for short periods, are associated with increased hospital admissions for conditions including septicaemia, renal failure and electrolyte/ fluid disorders. These are not covered by WHO guidelines. What are you doing to ensure Londoners understand the health consequences of high pollution?

The Mayor: Tackling toxic PM2.5 is a key priority for me, which is why I have set a target for London to meet WHO recommended guideline annual limits by 2030. I have set out the steps to achieve this in the London Environment Strategy. Additionally, through my statutory London Local Air Quality Management system, I require London boroughs to continue to focus on this pollutant even though they are meeting the much weaker national objectives for PM2.5. This will help to reduce short-term episodes as well as chronic exposure.
I agree with the need to ensure Londoners are informed. For this reason, when I came into office I introduced the first London-wide alerts system to provide notifications and health advice for high pollution episodes. These go out to the general public on display boards across the public transport network, social media, and through the press. Direct notifications are also provided to schools, care homes, GP surgeries, and hospitals.
I have also delivered several major marketing campaigns highlighting the impact of air pollution and the steps needed to reduce it (such as ULEZ), as well as supporting local awareness campaigns delivered by boroughs through my Mayor’s Air Quality Fund.

Restoring London’s Roads and Transport Policing Command

Siân Berry: Thank you for your answer to my question 2019/20147. After the Prime Minister’s promise that more frontline officers will be able to be recruited in London, will you ensure this boost in police officer numbers is used as soon as possible to restore capacity in the Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC)?

The Mayor: The numbers of officers currently being recruited are in fact as a result of the funding I have made available to the Met. As I explained to the Assembly, the 2020/21 funding allocation to pay for this recruitment has still not been announced. I have every confidence that the Commissioner will decide correctly how to best distribute these resources.

Supported internships

Jennette Arnold: Will you be continuing and expanding the welcome collaboration with TfL to offer supported internships to Londoners with special educational needs and disabilities?

The Mayor: The GLA took part in TfL’s Steps Into Work supported internship programme for the first time in September 2019, hosting three students. This scheme is open to people with mild to moderate learning disabilities and/or those on the autism spectrum. Following our pilot cohort, preparations are now underway to host the next cohort of students at the GLA in February 2020.
I am proud that the GLA and TfL are breaking down barriers to employment for these students. We will be continuing to take part in the scheme at the GLA and our ambition is to support other GLA Group organisations to get involved going forwards.

Hit and run prosecutions 2019

Siân Berry: Thank you for your answer to my question 2019/12046. Could you report the most recent figures for numbers of casualties relating to hit and runs in London in 2019, with a breakdown by: a) road user mode, b) severity type, c) borough, and d) whether there was a prosecution?

The Mayor: Please see the attached data relating to casualties for hit and run in London during 2019.
Please note that the data includes records where despite the initial determination being that the driver failed to stop, subsequent checks have established that the driver did then go on to report either on-line or at a police station. This satisfies the requirements under Section 170 of the Road Traffic Act and no further enforcement action would be taken unless a driving offence was identified. Unfortunately, it is not possible to report how many of these records would fall into this criterion.

Heat networks

Leonie Cooper: What do the Government’s proposed changes to the Heat Network (Metering and Billing) Regulations 2014 mean for London given your draft new London Plan policies supporting heat networks for large developments?

The Mayor: The proposed changes to these regulations do not impact on the draft new London Plan policies. The changes being proposed are to define the category of building where individual heat meters should be installed and to update the methodology for testing whether individual meters are economically viable. The London Plan does not set its own metering requirements for heat networks; this is done nationally. While my London Plan policies are delivering decarbonised heat for new build in London, a national pathway for decarbonising heat is lacking and I am continuing to call on government to provide the policy clarity needed.

Guidance for schools on adapting to climate change (4)

Leonie Cooper: How will you ensure that this guidance is accessible to non-specialist staff and that they are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to adapt their adaptation plans to their individual circumstances, such as for schools most prone to flooding?

The Mayor: The audience for the guidance is teachers, pupils, facilities managers, governors and those responsible for school buildings and investments. The guidance will be designed to be accessible to all of these audiences including children and will consider learning materials for teachers to use in their lessons. The guidance will also include a ‘user friendly’ checklist on how to assess risk, prepare for, respond to and recover from extreme weather events such as flooding, higher temperatures and water scarcity in the context of the latest climate change projections.
I have also recently developed guidance around incorporating sustainable drainage into schools - Reimagining Rainwater in Schools. This showcases the wide range of benefits that these measures can deliver including reducing flood risk and will be included in the adapting to climate change guidance for schools.

Julian Assange (3)

David Kurten: To what extent did the Metropolitan Police monitor supporters of Julian Assange who were present from time to time outside the Ecuadorian Embassy whilst he was resident there?

The Mayor: As this is a question on national security, the MPS can neither confirm nor deny the use of such information.

Julian Assange (2)

David Kurten: Were you aware of a laser microphone allegedly being used by the Metropolitan Police to monitor the Ecuadorian Embassy when Julian Assange was resident? If so, to what extent was such equipment funded by the Metropolitan Police?

The Mayor: As this is a question on national security, the MPS can neither confirm nor deny the use of such information.

Julian Assange (1)

David Kurten: Did the Metropolitan Police work with the CIA to monitor the Ecuadorian Embassy while Julian Assange was resident there? If so, were you aware of any collaboration between the Metropolitan Police and the CIA?

The Mayor: As this is a question on national security, the MPS can neither confirm nor deny the use of such information.

999 Response Times

Caroline Pidgeon: Please provide the average Metropolitan Police response times for 999 calls categorised as (i) I grade, (ii) S grade (iii) E grade and (iv) R grade since in 2019. Please provide a breakdown per month, and per borough.

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data for the period, and at the level specified. Please ensure that the notes page is read in order to understand the various types of call and the expected response performance.

Access to culture for young people

Jennette Arnold: Proud black Londoner Bernandine Evaristo has credited her recent, groundbreaking Booker Prize win with access to local cultural experiences as a teenager. Are today’s young black Londoners just as able to access these kinds of services and, if not, why not?

The Mayor: Culture has the power to inspire and transform young people, providing positive pathways, however many are missing out. Government cuts have seen more than 100 youth centres close across London, Arts Council England has lost 40 per centof its funding in a decade, and cuts of 19 per centto local authorities have meant a reduction in cultural opportunities.
I want all young Londoners, including black young Londoners, to access culture. My first London Borough of Culture in Waltham Forest reached every school and 85 per centof households in the borough, and Brent’s programme focuses on young people.
My Young Londoners Fund has invested £7.5million in culture specific projects. Culture Seeds has distributed £864,000 to community projects in every borough, with 41 per centof projects for Black, Asian and minority ethnic Londoners; and my investment in major culture capital projects such as East Bank, Mountview Academy and the Africa Centre offer opportunities to young black Londoners.

Crime over the Festive Period

Caroline Pidgeon: How many (i) burglaries, (ii) robberies and (iii) thefts were recorded each day between 19th December 2019 to 2nd January 2020?

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data for the period specified.

Electoral Law

Peter Whittle: To ask the Mayor, what training in election law is undertaken by those officers who police polling stations during general elections?

The Mayor: In Tower Hamlets, following discussions with the Borough Returning Officer, officers were stationed specifically at polling stations. These officers received a training session in advance and a briefing on the day covering key issues such as the role of police at the polling stations and on electoral offences.
In the rest of London where officers were visiting polling stations on patrol, a briefing pack covering key electoral offences and the role of officers at a polling station was delivered to officers.
Officers with expertise in electoral law were available throughout the day to give immediate advice to any officers dealing with incidents at polling stations.
Returning Officers across the capital were also briefed by the MPS Gold on the role of police in supporting the election.

OPDC – Housing Infrastructure Fund (1)

Navin Shah: Can you explain the reasons for the OPDC’s U-turn that it will not pursue the ‘in principle’ £250M funding from the government's housing infrastructure fund to kick start the project and buy land belonging to Cargiant?

The Mayor: OPDC’s earlier plans are currently unviable because of substantial increases in local industrial land values which have made relocation options for local businesses unviable.
OPDC took the decision to withdraw its HIF bid, given that the funding was awarded to deliver infrastructure for land that would no longer be redeveloped in the near future.
OPDC’s new approach will focus on redevelopment options for Old Oak that retain the scope and scale of the corporation’s ambitions, but with a focus on the major public sector land holdings in the area.

Tube noise

Andrew Dismore: Further to your answer to Question No: 2019/20522, when will there be an evaluation of Delkor’s alternative track fastening on the Jubilee line? And as my constituents who live near to tube lines are still suffering from tube noise from the Northern and Victoria lines, will you extend the trial to the noisiest parts of those lines?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is currently trialling an alternative rail fastening called Delkor 167 on the Jubilee line. TfL will have further information on the impact of this product on residential and in-carriage noise levels by autumn 2020. Once TfL completes its evaluation, TfL officers will provide you with an update, including on plans to roll out this alternative rail fastening at other locations.

Guidance for schools on adapting to climate change (1)

Leonie Cooper: I am pleased to see you have commissioned the development of guidance for schools on adapting to climate change. Will you consider commissioning advice for other key public services such as GP surgeries, hospitals and nurseries?

The Mayor: My guidance for schools on adapting to climate change will be used as a pilot to inform future commissioning on advice for other key public services such as GP surgeries, hospitals and nurseries.

Single-use packaging campaigns and initiatives

Caroline Russell: The consultation draft of the GLA Group Budget Proposals and Precepts 2020-21 highlights funding for the provision of more drinking water fountains and behaviour change campaigns to drive a water refill culture. What other campaigns and initiatives exist, or are in the pipeline, to cut the volumes of single-use packaging?

The Mayor: To reduce single-use plastic waste, I installed 28 water fountains with the Zoological Society of London. I have partnered with Thames Water to install over 100 more fountains across London, of which 33 have been installed. The remainder will be installed before April 2021. Through Refill London we now have more than 3500 refill location across the city.
Through the Climate Business Leaders Group and London & Partners I am working with business to promote campaigns and initiatives to cut volumes of single-use packaging. I have also written to food delivery companies to ask them to join my efforts to reduce single-use plastic. I will continue to work with TfL and Public Health England to promote the Refill London campaign, especially in hot weather.
I continue to lead by example and have introduced a charge for disposable coffee cups in the café at City Hall (10p). All money raised from this charge will be donated to the Thames 21 charity.
I have also supported the recent government consultations on the proposed introduction of Enhanced Producer Responsibility and Deposit Return Schemes. I will continue to engage with Government through lobbying and responding to forthcoming consultations to encourage further actions in this area.

Solar power in London

Caroline Russell: Analysis by the London Assembly Environment Committee in 2015 showed that London had the lowest amount of installed solar power capacity in the UK. How did London compare with the other UK regions in 2019? Please provide this information as a data table.

The Mayor: The latest year for which there are national statistics on regional solar capacity is 2018. The break down by region is presented in the table in the Appendix. This only includes solar projects in receipt of Government subsidy (feed-in tariffs). As the FiT scheme was closed in March 2019, when 2019 data is made available, it will only record new domestic installations for the first three months of the year.
Publicly available FiT data can be accessed via: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/regional-renewable-statistics

Outside Space in New Homes

Nicky Gavron: Do you have an estimate for the proportion of new homes built that include any private outside space as part of the property (garden, balcony etc), and what proportion meets the 5 square metres minimum set out in new London Plan policy D6 F9? If not, how do you intend to monitor the effectiveness of this policy in the future?

The Mayor: This information is not currently collected in the London Development Database (LDD). I intend to collect this information in the future. A project is currently underway that will improve the amount and quality of development data the GLA receives and this work will explore how best to accurately capture and record data on private outside space.

Sexual exploitation by rogue landlords

Siân Berry: How many: a) investigations, and b) prosecutions have there been in cases of ‘sex for rent’ sexual exploitation by rogue landlords?

The Mayor: ‘Sex for rent’ is not a recordable offence category and it is therefore not possible to provide accurate data on volumes of investigations or prosecutions. My Office for Policing and Crime and Housing teams are aware that this is a complex and nuanced area, and exploratory work is being undertaken to understand this concerning issue.
More generally, the shortage of affordable private rented homes in London, and the inadequacies of the private rented sector regulatory system places renters at greater risk of exploitation by the minority of rogue landlords operating in the capital. In July last year, I launched my blueprint for reform of the private rented sector, calling on Government for the powers to make renting more secure and affordable in London.

Outdoor Play Space

Nicky Gavron: Given that planning applications will include this data, could you provide a figure for the net additional play and recreational space provided on-site by schemes referable to the Mayor in each of the last four years?

The Mayor: Outdoor play space is not a policy requirement in the adopted London Plan 2016, rather it is promoted as a best practice requirement in the Shaping Neighbourhoods: Play and Informal Recreation Supplementary Planning Guidance. As such data collected through the London Development Database on new play space has not been comprehensively collected over the past four years to provide a robust figure of net additional play and recreation space secured on site by referable schemes.
The new London Plan Policy S4 requires all residential developments to provide at least 10m2 of play space per child. Work is underway on developing a new Database to replace the London Development Database. This work will explore how best to accurately capture and record the amount of play space secured through residential applications.

Owl

Shaun Bailey: Please can you provide an update on funding for the crime prevention tool Owl?

The Mayor: A contract variation with the supplier of the Online Watch Link Neighbourhood Watch communication tool (OWL) has been made (ref. CEOD 13 – 2019) to maintain the system in the medium term while the options available to provide this service and the process required to put this in place are explored. This has increased the value of the contract by £32,000 to ensure the maintenance of this critical system until 31 March 2020.

Fraudulent Minicab Drivers

Tony Devenish: Why did it take a BBC London News investigation to identify 2,000 fraudulent minicab drivers? Are you concerned TfL seems to be reactive rather than proactive in identifying fraud?

The Mayor: Whilst fraudulent issues around the provision of qualifications is a matter for the relevant awarding body and the qualifications regulator, Transport for London (TfL) and I were extremely concerned to learn that certificates had been obtained in this manner and were then used to fulfil part of the application requirements to become a private hire driver in London. TfL was also already considering the vocational qualification concession.
The vast majority of private hire applicants sit TfL’s robust in-house topographical skills assessment. Only around three per cent of all London licensed private hire drivers have been licensed with a concession to TfL’s topographical skills assessment, based on evidence that they have undertaken a relevant professional vocational related qualification e.g. a BTEC qualification. Of these, a small number of drivers had provided TfL with a certificate from Vista Training Solutions, which was the subject of the BBC’s recent investigation.
In response to the concerns raised, TfL has taken decisive regulatory action to address the fraudulent activity including the revocation of the licences of all 143 licensed private hire drivers who obtained their qualification from Vista Training Solutions. TfL has also refused more than 200 new applications where a certificate has been provided by this college.
To date no further evidence has been received of fraudulent activity at any other colleges, but should any further issues come to light TfL will take the same decisive regulatory action. I am aware that throughout the course of this investigation TfL has been working with Ofqual and the relevant awarding organisations and will continue to do so.
TfL has announced that it will be removing the relevant vocational qualification concessionfrom 1st February 2020. All applications received beyond that date will be subject to TfL’s in-house topographical assessment.

Knife Crime (2)

Shaun Bailey: For each of the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, how many people have been convicted of a knife crime offence, and of those, how many had a previous knife crime offence?

The Mayor: Conviction data is not held by the MPS. However, the MoJ now regularly publish Knife and offensive weapon sentencing statistics – updated on a quarterly basis. This data includes a breakdown of weapon offence type, regional breakdown, sentence received and the number of previous weapon related convictions a subject has.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/808453/Pivot_Table_Tool_-_Q1_2019_Knife_Possession_Sentencing.xlsx

OPDC – Delivery of Homes and Jobs (2)

Navin Shah: Are you confident that loss of the Cargiant site for Housing will not create a major hole in the delivery of 25,500 homes?

The Mayor: I'm confident that OPDC’s new approach, including working with Network Rail and HS2 to bring forward substantial sites under their control, will mean that the foreseen scale of growth and new housing remains achievable.
OPDC will also be focussing on the acceleration of a range of early development sites that can deliver thousands of new homes, many of which can come forward before HS2 opens, along with many thousands of square feet of new commercial and employment space, including sites at Oaklands, First Central, North Acton and Mitre Yard.
OPDC will be working closely with HS2, Network Rail and other landowners and stakeholders over the coming months to further test development capacity and the deliverability of sites and updated targets will be included in a revised Local Plan.

Electricity Grid

Tony Devenish: What work have you undertaken to ensure the electricity grid is fit for purpose and will not impede the electric car roll out in London?

The Mayor: I have modelled (see my Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Delivery Plan and 1.5o C Compatible Climate Plan) whether the deployment of charging infrastructure and electricity networks in London are sufficient to meet the needs of current and projected electric vehicle (EV) uptake. My EV Infrastructure Taskforce, which included UK Power Networks and Scottish and Southern Electricity Enterprise, concluded that London’s electricity grid is ready to support the increased up-take of electric vehicles in London. I am now working with partners on the Taksforce recommendations around how, when and where to increase London's electric vehicle infrastructure, and develop a network of electric vehicle charging points in London to help Londoners charge their vehicle quickly and efficiently.

Recycling streams

Caroline Russell: Not everything that can be recycled is recycled. What are your plans to ensure all residents can recycle the maximum amount of recyclable waste?

The Mayor: Proposal 7.2.1 in my London Environment Strategy requires all London boroughs to collect as a minimum the six dry main recycling materials (glass, tins/cans, paper, card, mixed plastics and plastic bottles) from every property, and to collect food waste separately from properties with a kerbside collection. My officers have worked with boroughs to set out in their Reduction and Recycling Plans (RRPs) and contract procurement documents a commitment and a clear road map of how and when they will meet my minimum service level, aiming to do so where practicable within the first RRP reporting period (2018-2022). Havering Council have for example committed to collect glass from all homes under their new collection contract starting in February 2021. Support is also available through the London Waste and Recycling Board to help boroughs to meet my minimum recycling level of service, including support for growing commercial waste recycling services provided by local authorities.

Night Time Enterprise Zone pilot project

Shaun Bailey: How are you measuring the success of your Night Time Enterprise Zone pilot project and what has been its success to date?

The Mayor: In January 2019, the London Night Time Commission recommended I set up a Night Time Enterprise Zone pilot. In September 2019, after an open competition to all boroughs, I awarded £75,000 grant funding to the London Borough of Waltham Forest to deliver a pilot in Walthamstow High Street.
The project is testing how a Night Time Enterprise Zone can help revive the high street, give Londoners better access to services after 6pm and support good work standards for night workers. The project launched in October with pilot activities encouraging late local shopping and offering affordable space for local enterprises, informed by extensive community and business engagement.
When activity completes, success will be measured against key performance indicators set out in the funding agreement. Waltham Forest will evaluate the pilot, producing a report in Spring 2020. This will be shared, including with the Night Time Borough Champions Network which has representatives from every London borough, and contribute to the development of their Night Time Strategies.

Safer Schools Officers

Caroline Pidgeon: You have currently failed to answer question 2019/20174 that was asked to you in November 2019.Please can you provide an update of the number of Safer School Officers that operate in London?

The Mayor: Please see my answer to Mayor's Question 2019_20174.

Policing Extinction Rebellion protests and the unlawful section 14 order (1)

Siân Berry: How much did the High Court case to defend the unlawful imposition of section 14 on 14 October 2019, which aimed to ban the Extinction Rebellion protests, cost the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS)? Could you provide a cost breakdown, including whether there was any requirement to pay the claimants' legal costs?

The Mayor: The MPS is liable to pay the legal costs of the three claimants, but it does not currently have a total cost and so is unable to provide a breakdown.
In any case, the MPS does not comment publicly on the costs of individual litigation for operational and legal reasons.

Offline air pollution monitors (1)

Caroline Russell: How many times were the 100 fixed air pollution monitors in London: a) offline, broken or out of action, and b) for what duration, in 2019? Please provide this data by location.

The Mayor: London has one of the most comprehensive air quality monitoring networks in the world. The boroughs are responsible for the funding, operations and maintenance of their air quality monitoring stations and the data they collect is publicly available. The EU Ambient Air Quality Directive sets the objective for monitoring stations to report valid data for 90 per cent of the year, with a minimum of 75 per cent required for a site to be used for assessment purposes.
The attached list is GLA analysis of the publicly available data. It sets out the percentage data capture rate for each of the monitoring site in London in 2019. It is important to note that monitoring data from the end of 2019 has not been quality assured and may be subject to change. This preliminary data shows 95 per cent of NO2 sites achieved the minimum threshold in 2019, with 96 per cent for PM10, and 91 per cent for PM2.5. For those few sites with less than 75 per cent data capture further information is included in the attached list.

Energy for Londoners (2)

Leonie Cooper: What modelling has been done of take-up for the new London Power offer?

The Mayor: I would like as many Londoners as possible to benefit from London Power. The GLA prepared a detailed business case (which was peer-reviewed externally) to inform my decision on whether or not to approve London Power, which I was pleased to launch on 13 January. We have modelled various scenarios for customer take-up but disclosing precise figures would allow back calculation of commission amounts which are commercially sensitive and could mean that the GLA would not secure as good a deal in future procurements.The results of the business case can be found in MD 2482.

August energy blackouts (2)

Andrew Dismore: What measures have you put in place to improve London’s resilience to energy failures like those seen in August 2019?

The Mayor: Legislation is in place that requires the energy industry to respond and recover from this type and scale of incident and to assure central Government departments of their business continuity plans. Within the industry, there are regularly-reviewed plans and procedures in place to respond to an incident of this scale.
There is a new industry standard currently being developed that will set out the minimum standards for industry-level responses. This will add further assurance to London’s partners of the industry’s ability to respond to such incidents.
London has well-rehearsed multi-agency emergency response plans in place, in the very unlikely event of large-scale power outages, which remain a ‘very high’ risk on the London Risk Register because although they are unlikely, the impact of a large-scale power outage could be extremely high. The London Power Disruption Protocol was revised in 2018 and was exercised with local responders in May 2018; it is reviewed to assess if it needs to incorporate any new learning three times a year.

August energy blackouts (1)

Andrew Dismore: What discussions have you had with train operating companies following the Office for Rail and Road’s finding that software flaws on rolling stock contributed to the disruption of the August 2019 energy blackout?

The Mayor: My Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience hold a bi-annual resilience preparedness meeting with relevant stakeholders to provide assurances in advance of summer and winter seasonal challenges that necessary preparations are in place. At the most recent meeting in November, Network Rail representatives confirmed that the relevant train operating companies had upgraded their software so that such problems with the train restart following a power failure would not occur again. They have also taken action to notify all train operating companies with trains that use that software model to undertake the upgrades to their software to mitigate any future problems.

Cannabis growing in East Finchley

Andrew Dismore: Will you join me in congratulating the police in Barnet on their discovery of a flat in East Finchley growing 120 cannabis plants? Can you confirm that the Met police will continue to be pro-active in monitoring the illegal growing of drugs?

The Mayor: I would indeed like to join you in congratulating the police in Barnet for this discovery.This is not a harmless activity, and we know that the drug markets drive some of the violence and exploitation which we see on the streets of London. The Met willof coursecontinue to proactively monitor and pursue those who produce and supply the illegal drugs which blight our communities.

Knife Crime GPS tagging pilot

Unmesh Desai: When are you expecting to publish the results of the Pilot of GPS tagging for knife crime offenders on licence?

The Mayor: The current operational end date for the pilot is October 2020. A final evaluation report will be written and published after the pilot end date.

Motorcycle Accidents and Injuries

Keith Prince: Will you provide me with the monthly statistics for motorcycle accidents and injuries in London over the last two years in both real terms and as a percentage of total motorcycle users on the road for those months?

The Mayor: Please see the attached spreadsheet, outlining the sub-set of damage only and personal injury collisions for powered two-wheelers recorded during 2017 and 2018 against the total number of collisions reported in the MPS area.
It is not possible to provide the figures as a percentage of total motorcycle users on the road for those months as MPS does not hold the data.

Taxi & Private Hire Action Plan

Keith Prince: In his Taxi & Private Hire action plan, the Mayor promised separated reporting of personal injury collisions. Why is there no separation in the published 2018 figures?

The Mayor: As I stated in response to Mayor’s Question 2018/5424, road traffic collision data in Great Britain is collected in accordance with the STATS19 national reporting system laid down by the Department for Transport (DfT). Under the national system, taxis and private hire vehicles are combined in a single vehicle category of ‘Taxi or Private Hire’.
Taxi and private hire vehicles are now reported separately by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), alongside vehicle registration details. Transport for London is in the process of analysing this data and cross-referencing it with its licensing system to confirm that the vehicle involved was a taxi or a private hire vehicle and will publish this data later this year, once the analysis is completed.
Figures showing the separation of fatal casualties resulting from collisions involving taxis and private hire vehicles during 2018 are published on page 7 of the ‘Casualties in Greater London during 2018’ factsheet at http://content.tfl.gov.uk/casualties-in-greater-london-2018.pdf.

Companion Travel Pass

Joanne McCartney: Well done for promising to introduce a companion travel pass for those travelling with disabled Londoners if you are re-elected Mayor. What understanding does TfL currently have with regards to:
How many disabled Londoners would likely qualify for this support?


The likely criteria that would be applied?

The Mayor: As a non-political statutory body, Transport for London (TfL) will not be commenting on pledges from Mayoral or London Assembly candidates.
The cost of introducing and maintaining a concession for travel companions, and the likely financial savings, would depend on several assumptions and the criteria used, which TfL would need to develop.
If I am re-elected, I will instruct TfL to undertake this work.

Households affected by cold homes and fuel poverty

Caroline Russell: There are more than 146,000 cold and damp homes in London. What plans do you have to further expand the Warmer Homes programme to ensure all Londoners, especially vulnerable ones affected by fuel poverty, are protected?

The Mayor: The second phase of my Warmer Homes programme begins in February and will deliver energy efficiency improvements in the homes of at least 1,188 vulnerable Londoners, adding to the 1,159 homes improved in the first phase.
Thisnext phase also allows for delivery in the able to pay sector and my officers are exploring options to trial this. The package of improvements for many homes will include ventilation improvements. Dampness and mould have a significant impact on health, yet ventilation measures are not funded through the national Energy Company Obligation (ECO). Match-funding to increase the number of households supported will be sought from ECO and borough funds. The Warmer Homes Advice Service works with hundreds of referral partners to ensure that we reach the most vulnerable.
I am also lobbying government to address the large annual shortfall in ECO funds received by London by ring-fencing an amount proportionate to our population. We should receive £83 million per year yet only receive around £43 million.

Muggings in East Finchley

Andrew Dismore: There have been a spate of muggings in East Finchley targeted at teenagers around the High Road between 4-8pm. The local police stepped up visible patrols in the area throughout December 2019. How can we ensure that this problem does not continue in the new year when schools return, and what advice can be given to young people to keep themselves safe?

The Mayor: I have been informed by the MPS that Dedicated Ward Officers and Safer Schools Officers were provided with funding for high visibility patrols in the area in the run up to Christmas and during the first week back after the holidays. Beyond this, the neighbourhood tasking and Safer Schools team are carrying out proactive operations targeting youth violence and robbery. These operations will look to prevent and detect crime in this and other areas where there have been an increase in these type of offences. In addition, the Safer Schools Sergeant regularly makes the offer for their officers to go into all of the secondary schools in Barnet, and give talks on personal safety and crime prevention.

European Funding Agreement for Better Futures three-year Extension

Leonie Cooper: How will the three-year extension to the Better Futures project help the transition to a low-carbon, circular economy in London?

The Mayor: The first three years of Better Futures supported over 100 Low Carbon and Circular Economy Goods and Services businesses to develop new technologies that will help London transition to a low carbon, circular economy. The three-year extension will support a further 100 SMEs to enter this market. The project helps companies accelerate their growth and bring these products to market more quickly.
The impact of the project to-date includes:
During the next three years we will be building on this programme. We will also be increasing the number of very early stage SMEs we work with to accelerate their growth, building on lessons from the first three years.

Anti-Semitic Graffiti

Caroline Pidgeon: Following the recent sickening reports of anti-Semitic graffiti in Hampstead and Belsize Park, how will you be increasing your efforts to tackle hate-crime in the capital and ensure communities, such as London’s Jewish community, feel safe?

The Mayor: This makes me sick to my stomach. Anti-Semitic graffiti like this is a hate crime, it has no place anywhere and certainly not in London. We will not tolerate abuse or intimidation of our Jewish community.
I was very pleased to see Camden council act promptly to remove the vile graffiti. At the same time BCU Commander Raj Kohli has visited local synagogues to offer his personal reassurance and uniformed police patrols have been increased in and around the area, particularly around places of worship across London. Local officers continue to liaise with the Jewish community and faith leaders.
Along with the MPS and our statutory and community partners, we are taking a more strategic and tailored approach that can make a real difference. The London Hate Crime Prevention Board and the MPS Hate Crime Diamond Group both include representatives from all targeted communities to look at how we collectively address the challenges of hate crime.
These forums help to identify opportunities to work more closely with communities, increase public confidence in reporting, identify best practice, and ensure timely pathways into victim support services.
Finally, I have invested additional resources into combatting hate crime with funding for awareness raising, outreach and the specialist support services that hate crime victims need to cope and recover.

OPDC Leadership

Caroline Pidgeon: Since April 2018 OPDC has had two interim chief executives. The current chief finance officer is also an interim. The corporation is also without a chief operating officer. How are you working to ensure that OPDC has consistent and permanent leadership going forward?

The Mayor: OPDC is fortunate to have the services of David Lunts as interim Chief Executive and Liz Peace as Chair. Both bring huge regeneration experience and have steered the corporation through a period of considerable uncertainty and challenge, during which time it would have been ill-advised to seek to recruit a permanent Chief Executive.
OPDC’s new approach brings an opportunity to move forward, although the government now needs to do its bit and come off the fence to confirm the HS2 project, including the essential Old Oak interchange station. Until this uncertainty is removed, it is sensible to continue with the interim Chief Executive arrangements.
OPDC will be making a permanent appointment of Chief Finance Officer very shortly, subject to Board approval, and is in the process of recruiting a permanent Director of Planning to replace the current interim arrangements.
A Chief Operating Officer is not being recruited at the moment as OPDC does not require the post at present.

Gang flagged Crime (2)

Unmesh Desai: Please provide a breakdown, by borough, of how many gang-flagged crimes took place in each of the following years: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

The Mayor: Please see attached the spreadsheet containing the requested data, related to Mayor's Question2019/20869 and 2019/20870. It should be noted that this data set is dependent on accurate flagging.

Energy for Londoners (3)

Leonie Cooper: How many customers for London Power would you anticipate by the end of 2020?

The Mayor: I would like as many Londoners as possible to benefit from London Power. The GLA prepared a detailed business case (which was peer-reviewed externally) to inform my decision on whether or not to approve London Power, which I was pleased to launch on 13 January. We have modelled various scenarios for customer take-up but disclosing precise figures would allow back calculation of commission amounts which are commercially sensitive and could mean that the GLA would not secure as good a deal in future procurements. The results of the business case can be found in MD 2482.

Manufacturing output in future years

Leonie Cooper: Research from GLA Economics suggests that the manufacturing sector is set to see a reduced output and reduction in the number of jobs in 2020 and 2021 (https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/londons_economy_today_no208_191219.pdf#page=12). What do you think is the cause of this downturn and what support will you be giving to Londoners that work in manufacturing?

The Mayor: Research from GLA Economics forecasts a reduction in manufacturing output and number of jobs in London for 2020 and 2021, following a period where manufacturing jobs have remained broadly stable (2009-2018). This reduction reflects a weak economic forecast for this year and next driven by domestic and international economic uncertainty, which is expected to lead to London’s economy growing below its historic trend rate.
My Skills for Londoners Strategy aims to empower all Londoners to access the education and skills to participate in society and progress in education and work, and to ensure London’s technical and vocational training system is responsive to the needs of London’s economy, now and in the future. This includes those working in manufacturing. I am delivering these aims in a number of ways, including through the Adult Education Budget, my Apprenticeships programmes and European Structural and Investment Funds, which are overseen by the Skills for Londoners Board and the Skills for Londoners Business Partnership.

food waste collection in Barnet

Andrew Dismore: What is the latest news in your dialogue with Barnet Council regarding food waste collections?

The Mayor: Following the in-depth modelling of their waste services and future options (as requested by me subsequent to Barnet’s withdrawal of the Food waste collection service in the autumn of 2018), Barnet submitted their Waste Reduction and Recycling Plan (as required by my London Environment Strategy), in October 2019.
Officers have reviewed the plan and I will be writing to the authority shortly. The plan commits to the reintroduction of a new and improved service in March/April 2022, following the procurement of a new dedicated fleet and the identification of new depot space for that fleet. A detailed timeline and programme has also been submitted for this service reintroduction

Borough use of Mayor’s Greener City Fund

Onkar Sahota: How much has each borough received from the Mayor’s Greener City Fund in each year of its operation?

The Mayor: Since 2017, my Greener City Fund has supported projects to plant trees and improve green spaces in all 32 London boroughs and the City of London.
This includes grants to help Londoners plant trees and improve their green spaces, support boroughs and other bodies undertake major park and green space improvements, funding to help green the built environment, as well as support for community events during National Park City Festival in 2019.
The attached table provides a breakdown of funding awarded to projects in each borough by year. This includes grants directly to local authorities, and to other organisations delivering projects in those boroughs. The funding awarded to each borough varies as it will depend on the number, type and success rate of funding applications received.
More grants will be awarded before the end of my Mayoral term, including the third round of the Community Green Space Grants and funding for more tree planting.

Drinking fountains

Andrew Dismore: Last year you provided funding to increase the amount of public drinking fountains across London in a bid to reduce plastics use. Are you writing to major public buildings, such as shopping centres, museums, tourist attractions, the Royal Parks and local councils to ask them to install more public drinking fountains in their properties? Do you have any plans to roll these out in tube stations?

The Mayor: To reduce single-use plastic waste, I have installed 28 water fountains with the Zoological Society of London, and have partnered with Thames Water to install over 100 more across London, of which 33 have been installed.
I invited applications to host a water fountain from all Londoners, including shopping centres, museums, tourist attractions, local councils and Royal Parks. I used a news release, GLA and partner websites, social media and existing communications networks (e.g. London Environment Directors Network) to promote these programmes and ensure as many organisations as possible were contacted.
My officers have also worked with London boroughs, community groups, the culture sector and London & Partners membership network to call on venues, large hospitality businesses and tourist attractions to sign up to the Refill London scheme. We now have over 3,500 refill points across the city including major tourist attractions and museums (e.g. Tate Modern, Natural History Museum).
On 18 July, I announced the locations of 20 water fountains to be installed at rail and underground stations (see Mayor’s Question 2019/20821). TfL are currently developing a feasibility study for accelerating a roll out of public drinking fountains across more Tube stations and other TfL stations.

OPDC Stakeholder Engagement

Caroline Pidgeon: Do you have confidence in the way in which OPDC has engaged with key stakeholders, including CarGiant and the Department for Transport?

The Mayor: Yes. OPDC has engaged with Cargiant since its establishment in 2015. OPDC developed its masterplan and HIF submission based on Cargiant’s earlier plans to relocate and develop its Old Oak land. By early 2019, Cargiant had decided to remain at Old Oak due to the rapid increase in local land values which had made relocation unviable for them. Throughout this period, OPDC sought to engage with Cargiant and maintained regular correspondence with them. OPDC is now liaising closely with Cargiant to engage with its plans for investing in its business to support a shift to the processing and sale of electric vehicles.
OPDC’s relationship with the Department of Transport is guided by its Memorandum of Understanding, which remains in place.

OPDC Funding from the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: When were you informed that OPDC would no longer be pursuing the “in principle” £250 million funding from the HIF?

The Mayor: OPDC’s Chief Executive and Chair flagged a number of risks associated with the HIF conditions to me last June. The challenges associated with the HIF bid were also shared by OPDC’s interim Chief Executive and Chair at the Assembly’s Budget and Performance Committee that month. At this time, OPDC was finalising its draft Local Plan, the adoption of which was one such risk.
In September, the Planning Inspector published his Interim Report on the Local Plan, highlighting this risk, following which OPDC engaged with Homes England and MHCLG, given that the HIF process involves ongoing dialogue between provisional award and final contract. Alongside that, OPDC worked quickly to evaluate the Inspector’s report and consider options.
I subsequently met with OPDC’s Chair and interim Chief Executive on 7th November, and agreed that the HIF bid should be withdrawn, given that the funding was intended to deliver infrastructure for land that would no longer be redeveloped in the foreseeable future.

OPDC Funding from the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: Do you believe that the recent announcement that OPDC would no longer being pursuing “in principle” HIF funding of £250 million from the Government was handled in a transparent and open way considering that there was no public board meeting to discuss this matter and the London Assembly was not informed in advance?

The Mayor: Yes. The challenges associated with the HIF bid were publicly shared by OPDC’s interim Chief Executive and Chair at the Assembly’s Budget and Performance Committee last June, an Assembly plenary in July and with OPDC board members.
In September, the Planning Inspector’s interim report on OPDC’s draft Local Plan, raised several issues relevant to the HIF bid. OPDC quickly evaluated the Inspector’s report and considered its options, engaging with Homes England and MHCLG, as the HIF process involved ongoing dialogue between the provisional award and final contract.
At a meeting with OPDC in November, I approved the new approach and agreed the bid should be withdrawn.
OPDC’s November board meeting was cancelled due to the pre-election period for the general election, but the proposed HIF withdrawal would have been a private business item anyway, given the commercial matters it raised. The board approved OPDC’s 2020/21 draft budget, which acknowledged the loss of HIF, via urgency procedure. The new approach will be formally taken to OPDC’s board on 30th January.

Concerns over OPDC Spending

Caroline Pidgeon: Are you confident in OPDC spending public money when there are several significant risks and unresolved issues on the site including: the loss of the Car Giant site; the uncertainty surrounding Old Oak North station due to the HS2 review and potential skills shortages in the construction industry?

The Mayor: Yes. This is one of London’s most promising regeneration projects with huge public benefits. It is essential that we invest now, to ensure this potential isn’t wasted.
Subject to the government’s go-ahead for HS2, OPDC’s plans will help realise the significant investment made by the taxpayer in HS2 for the benefit of Londoners.
In response to increasing industrial land values, OPDC is re-focussing to unlock public sector land, accelerate new housing sites, support businesses and improve community amenities so that both short term and longer-term regeneration can be brought forward in tandem.
As the statutory Planning Authority, OPDC requires funding to ensure the adoption of its draft Local Plan and to manage its ongoing planning functions. OPDC is responsible for the delivery of ambitious housing targets and has already secured planning consent for more than 5,000 homes.
OPDC has reacted pragmatically to rapidly changing market conditions and I have full confidence in its new approach that will help to deliver many thousands of homes and jobs for London.

Cyber-flashing

Susan Hall: For each of the years 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, how many instances of ‘cyber-flashing’ have been recorded by the Met?

The Mayor: This information is not available from the MPS. In part, this is because regulation and legislation that currently exists has not kept pace with the development and growth of such offence types. As such, the law as it stands makes it difficult to record and address offending of this nature against, predominantly, women.
In my VAWG strategy, I outlined my approach to tackling ‘technology based sexual abuse’, which I consider this to be a form of. I have responded to the Government White Paper on Online Harms calling for a framework of comprehensive regulations overseen by an adaptable new regulator to provide a standardised set of rules and expectations for the public, technology companies, and government alike.

Wildlife Crime

Susan Hall: For each of the years 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, how many instances of Wildlife Crime have been recorded by the Met? Please can you provide a further breakdown of the following:
• poaching
• coursing
• persecution of badgers, birds and bats
• egg theft and collection
• collection of or trade in protected species and animal products
• not registering animals which require a licence
• taking protected plants
• use of poisons, snares or explosives to kill or injure animals
• animal cruelty
• hunting with dogs
• introducing invasive species
• killing or capturing, damaging or destroying the habitat of any protected animal

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data for the period specified.

Road accidents involving animals

Susan Hall: For each of the years 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, please can you provide the number of Road Traffic Accidents involving animals broken down by species? If possible, please can you also provide a further breakdown by fatalities?

The Mayor: Please see the below table detailing the number of collisions with animals, as requested, with the severity of the incident broken down. The species of the animal is not available.
Year
Serious
Slight
Sum
2016
1
12
13
2017
3
27
30
2018
3
22
25
2019 Jan - March provisional
1
7
8

Wild Mammals (Protection) Act offences

Susan Hall: For each of the years 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, please can you provide the number of offences committed under the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act, and the Sanction Detections Rates?

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data for the period specified.

London Plan (1)

Nicky Gavron: In your response to the Inspectors’ Panel recommendations, you accepted their recommendation to alter housing targets. Will the revised targets and your other housing and planning policies still effectively respond to London’s housing crisis?

The Mayor: While I have accepted the Inspectors’ recommendation to reduce the housing targets, I am absolutely committed to ensuring the delivery of more of the homes that Londoners need. The revised target and housing policies in the new London Plan remain ambitious and, combined with my Housing Strategy and other initiatives, will accelerate and increase housing delivery by taking advantage of all sources of supply and proactively intervening in London’s land market. These policies and initiatives will also bring new players to the housing market, tackle the construction skills gap and diversify supply.
The Plan includes, and the inspectors have supported, a 50 per cent strategic affordable housing target and threshold approach to affordable housing, which will be crucial in the delivery of more affordable homes. However, as set out in both the Plan and my Housing Strategy, tackling the housing crisis will also require continued and sustained investment in enabling infrastructure and affordable housing from the Government.

Oyster discounts with Student Railcard discount (3)

Caroline Pidgeon: Are you satisfied that TfL effectively communicates to London’s student population the opportunity for them to claim discounts on Tube, DLR, London Overground and TfL Rail services?

The Mayor: The Transport for London (TfL) website clearly sets out what concessions are available for young people, including students, and savings available from using National Railcards. This can be found here: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel
The National Rail website also provides information on the various National Railcards that are available.

Modern Slavery Prosecutions

Susan Hall: Can the Mayor set out whether the Met has sought prosecution of any offences by foreign diplomats serving in the UK under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 in each of the past three years? And if there have been any prosecutions what court they have been heard in?

The Mayor: I have been informed that the MPS data shows no such cases.

Encouraging use of solar power

Caroline Russell: In your response to my question 2018/3057, you told me your officers were looking at new business models and ways to encourage the use of solar power generation. What new ways of encouraging this have you found?

The Mayor: In the absence of subsidies, it makes sense to prioritise solar on buildings whose energy demand profile matches the solar output of the panels. Warehouses and industrial estates can be a good example of this match and my officers are starting to explore such opportunities across London. Similarly, if a battery is combined with a panel, the generator can increase the amount of power they use onsite. This is being explored by applicants to our London Community Energy Fund and in our Home Response and Flex London programmes. Here, several projects are demonstrating how battery storage has the potential to maximise the value to the generator of their solar assets.
In addition, power purchase agreements (PPAs) provide a mechanism for organisations to source renewable energy and support large scale solar deployment outside London. My officers held numerous meetings and an event in 2019 for boroughs, functional bodies and our business leaders, to promote understanding and encourage uptake of renewable PPAs.

Solar power on the GLA group buildings and land

Caroline Russell: Thank you for your response to my question 2019/8864 regarding use of solar power on GLA group buildings. Could you tell me: a) when you anticipate the 1.1 MW target in your Solar Action Plan to be operational on the Transport for London (TfL) estate, b) how much solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity has been installed and is now operational on London Fire Brigade (LFB) and Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) buildings, and c) whether the LFB is on track to meet its target of 12 per cent of its energy demand from renewable sources, including solar energy technologies, by 2020-21?

The Mayor: Please see my answer below:

Delivering green infrastructure

Caroline Russell: The consultation draft of the GLA Group Budget Proposals and Precepts 2020-21 sets out proposals to deliver green infrastructure including sustainable drainage that manages flood risk and reduces urban heat. Could you tell me: a) where and when this sustainable drainage will be installed, and b) what plans there are to deliver other types of green infrastructure?

The Mayor: Sustainable drainage is a key climate change adaptation measure and its uptake across London will continue to be promoted. The exact location and timings of projects to be funded will be determined in the coming months by assessing the most effective locations for these measures, delivering flood risk and water quality benefits. These locations will also be decided working closely with stakeholders who are also delivering sustainable drainage including London boroughs and Thames Water.
Wider investment plans by the Mayor in green infrastructure will support the delivery of the relevant London Environment Strategy aims, helping to address the climate and ecological emergencies. This will include increasing tree cover, greening the built environment and establishing and improving green spaces.
Officers will work with boroughs and communities to identify locations for future investment using a similar approach to the Mayor’s Greener City Fund, which has supported green infrastructure projects across all 32 boroughs over the last 4 years. New data, including the Green Infrastructure Focus map, will be used to help target appropriate interventions where they are most needed.

Smart Export Guarantee (SEG)

Caroline Russell: The national government’s new Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) came into force from 1 January 2020. Can you tell me: a) how much more solar capacity do you project the SEG will bring to London, and b) do you now anticipate being able to meet your target of 1 GW of solar capacity in London by 2030?

The Mayor: The incentive provided by the SEG alone is unlikely to materially increase solar capacity in London. It merely ensures that a generator is paid a non-zero price for any electricity it exports to the grid. In the current regulatory framework, the best business case for installing solar panels will most likely be where the majority of the electricity generated can be consumed onsite, reducing the need to purchase electricity from the grid.
I continue to make progress towards my target of 1GW solar capacity in London by 2030 through my Solar Together London programme, the London Community Energy Fund, by installing solar on the GLA estate, and by supporting new business models for solar (please see my response to Mayor's Question 2020/0051). I will also publish a London Solar Map, which will help Londoners and businesses to identify those locations with high solar power potential. I will continue to develop opportunities to deliver on my target over the next ten years.

Resilience of new and existing buildings (2)

Caroline Russell: The consultation draft of the GLA Group Budget Proposals and Precepts 2020-21 states that the resilience of new and existing buildings will be increased through strong planning policy and by delivering ventilation measures through the Mayor’s Energy for London programme. What type of ventilation measures do you plan to implement in both new and existing properties?

The Mayor: My London Plan requires major developments to follow a cooling hierarchy to minimise overheating risk. The hierarchy promotes passive ventilation above mechanical ventilation.
For existing buildings, my Energy for Londoners’ programmes include the Retrofit Accelerator Homes programme which actively promotes approaches to retrofitting existing homes that avoid overheating/unintended consequences, such as a reliance on mechanical cooling including addressing indoor air quality through measures such as passive ventilation and heat-recovery ventilation. Similarly, my Retrofit Accelerator Workplaces programme accelerates and facilitates the retrofit of existing non-domestic buildings. Many projects delivered under this programme include retrofit of the air handling unit systems, delivering more efficient ventilation to reduce energy demand and lead to improved ventilation in the building. Also, my Warmer Homes scheme provides a holistic assessment of the home. Ventilation is considered and can be provided as required. There are no prescribed measures in this programme as it will depend on what each home requires.

Resilience of new and existing buildings (1)

Caroline Russell: The consultation draft of the GLA Group Budget Proposals and Precepts 2020-21 states that the resilience of new and existing buildings will be increased through strong planning policy and by delivering water efficiency through the Mayor’s Energy for London programme. By what means will water efficiency be delivered?

The Mayor: My London Plan sets strong requirements for water efficiency in new buildings. Commercial buildings are required to achieve the BREEAM ‘Excellent’ certification for water use, whilst residential buildings are required to achieve 105 litres or less per person per day which is well below the current London average water consumption. In addition, the sustainable drainage policy in the Plan promotes water reuse through the drainage hierarchy, which alongside managing rainwater reduces demand for drinking water.
For existing buildings, my Energy for Londoners’ programmes include the Retrofit Accelerator Homes programme which actively promotes approaches to retrofitting existing homes with water efficiency measures. One of the key approaches under this programme is Energiesprong, which encourages specifying low/dual flush toilets, low-flow taps and showers and rainwater collection for garden irrigation. My Warmer Homes Advice Service is also installing water saving measures and providing water saving advice in homes. 201 homes received these measures in August and September 2019.

Guidance for schools on adapting to climate change (2)

Leonie Cooper: Which partners will be engaged during the development of this guidance to ensure it is robust, evidence based and appropriate for the needs of schools?

The Mayor: Schools will be involved in the development of the guidance by the appointed consultants.
My officers will also involve the GLA’s School Air Quality Forum which is attended by a cross-section of stakeholders including London boroughs, teachers, third sector organisations, parents and Transport for London. The Guidance will be peer reviewed by key adaptation stakeholders such as the London Climate Change Partnership, the Environment Agency and Public Health England.
Finally, GLA officers that work on other school programmes will be taken into account throughout the project to ensure an integrated approach.

August energy blackouts (4)

Andrew Dismore: Is Ofgem’s charging of a fine of £10.5 million across three energy companies sufficient considering the difficulties and inconvenience caused by their failure to prepare for disruption?

The Mayor: The fine issued is a matter for Ofgem to determine within the fining structures of the electricity supply industry. It is, however, disappointing that the fines will not compensate the end users who experienced the inconvenience caused.
Individuals who were inconvenienced as a result of the transport disruption, which was related to the preparedness of the Train Operating Companies for this type of incident, rather than to the actions of the power providers, can claim directly for their inconvenience via the train operators.

Trees and insurance companies (2)

Caroline Russell: Thank you for the response to my question 2019/20117. What steps are you taking to encourage more councils and insurers to sign up to the Joint Mitigation Protocol?

The Mayor: The Joint Mitigation Protocol has recently been reviewed to simplify the process and this revised version of the protocol is due to be published by the London Tree Officers Association (LTOA) in spring 2020.
Once we have reviewed this revised version we will explore options with the LTOA and other organisations in the London Tree Partnership to encourage more councils and insurers to sign-up to the protocol.

London Green Spaces Commission

Shaun Bailey: What are the London Green Spaces Commission's emerging conclusions of their final report and action plan?

The Mayor: My London Green Spaces Commission was established in April 2019 as a one-year task and finish group looking at how to support London boroughstotransform the way they manage and fund their parkservices.
The Commission is currently finalising its recommendations, and these will be published in March this year.

TfL Oyster Hack

Navin Shah: What is TfL doing to protect customer data following last year’s oyster breach, beyond prompting them to reset their passwords?

The Mayor: Some Transport for London (TfL) customers’ Oyster Online accounts were accessed maliciously. Other sites were compromised in a previous hack and some account holders were using the same username and password on multiple websites, which allowed the login credentials to be used to access these customers’ Oyster Online accounts. The Oyster Online service was not directly breached. This affected a small number of accounts (approximately 2000 of over 2.5million active account users).
Since this incident occurred, TfL has taken a number of steps to strengthen protection against malicious access. Some of these, such as introducing ReCaptcha, which helps to prevent access by automated attacks, are evident to customers. TfL has also introduced additional protection measures which are not visible to customers and are working to apply further additional security measures, not all of which will be visible to customers. For security reasons, it is not appropriate to divulge further information on the measures which have been, and will be, put in place.

Uninsured Vehicles

Peter Whittle: To ask the Mayor, how many uninsured vehicles were seized by the Metropolitan Police in London in each of the calendar years from 2015 to 2019?

The Mayor: Please see below the data requested:

Street lighting and safety

Andrew Dismore: What assessments have been made regarding the link between street lighting and public safety? Do you believe that better street lighting is a deterrent to crime, and if so, can you put pressure on councils in London who are upgrading street lighting infrastructure to ensure better lighting in areas with high levels of mugging?

The Mayor: A report from the College of Policing, itself based on a Campbell Collaboration Systematic Review, concludes that improved street lighting has a positive effect in reducing crimes such as burglary and theft. The review also concluded that it did not however reduce the incidence of violent crime and that problems need to be analysed properly and responses targeted accordingly. I encourage boroughs and police to work together to find solutions to local problems.

Senior Staff Turnover

Tony Devenish: It was reported over Christmas that 80% of the top 65 White House jobs have turned over since President Trump took office - can you provide the equivalent turnover percentage for the highest-paid 65 GLA roles since May 2016?

The Mayor: The turnover of the 65 highest-paid roles at the GLA in May 2016, which is consequent to restructures and internal promotions as well as staff departures, is 49 per cent, or 32 members of staff.

London Plan (3)

Nicky Gavron: I fully support your continued opposition to fracking in London. Are you also lobbying Government to ensure that national policy reflects your strong opposition in London?

The Mayor: Thank for your support.
I have made my strong opposition to fracking clear to Government in my response to the Inspectors’ recommendations, which was sent to the Secretary of State alongside the Intend to Publish version of the Plan. Fracking in London would run counter to my objective for London to be Zero Carbon by 2050 and undermine the transition to a low carbon energy system that is required to support this. It is also not appropriate given the climate emergency we are in and the latest evidence on climate change. It is also imperative that fracking is prohibited given the other risks it would pose to our city and to Londoners, including water contamination, impacts on London’s already stressed water resources and the potential for earthquakes.
I will continue to make the case to Government where the opportunity arises including in relation to future changes to the planning process and planning policy.

London Plan (2)

Nicky Gavron: Following the Examination in Public, the Inspectors recommended that Mayoral Development Corporations (MDCs) should be apportioned their own waste responsibility, rather than allocating it to boroughs. Your response to the Panel’s recommendations stated that future Plan iterations would give full consideration to apportioning waste to MDCs. Given the lifetime of this draft new Plan, how will you work with the host boroughs to ensure that the MDCs’ waste will be processed while also meeting your target for London to be waste self-sufficient?

The Mayor: The recommendation from the panel of Inspectors was that full consideration should be given to apportioning waste to MDCs in future iterations of the Plan. In recognition of the issues raised during the Examination in Public, policy SI8 was strengthened through Further Suggested Changes to the Plan last year to be clear that MDCs must cooperate with host boroughs to meet identified waste needs. In their report, the Inspectors recognised that this should provide some comfort for boroughs and is a pragmatic approach for this Plan.
GLA planning officers will continue to liaise with host boroughs and MDCs in the development of local planning policies and on relevant planning applications so that waste needs are identified and accommodated and to work towards London being net self-sufficient in managing its waste management. This includes taking a proactive approach to protecting existing waste sites so that they are not released without their capacity being replaced. GLA officers also have an active involvement in the London Waste Planning Forum which brings together planning authorities (including OPDC) to address waste planning and management issues.